Our family vacation in Florida last month was capped off with a bountiful feast of “Shrimp Boil.” I know that in some parts it’s known as Frogmore Stew or Beaufort Stew or Lowcountry Boil, but us Louisianians just call it shrimp boil.
The basic idea is to boil a large (very large) pot of water (preferably over a propane flame) and add seasonings, crustaceans, and starchy vegetables (and, frequently, sausage) and boil until cooked. The water takes a very long time to boil as there is so much of it, and this affords the cooks and guests (because the guests have arrived) a long time to drink. The most appropriate beverage is beer, preferably an Abita brew, though wine is acceptable. Some of our guests even found Scotch and water to pass the time acceptably. Some others found tequila/Coronas and even margaritas worked well.
My mom and step-dad, God bless ’em, actually minded the pot, adding the potatoes, corn, sausage, and shrimp in a timely manner. While waiting for our water to boil the “kids,” as it were, also joy-rode in our rental home’s surrey bicycle and ate most of the cheese and crackers we could find in the house. A lot of lawn chair-sitting and yarn spinning and gossiping also took place during the waiting. All in all, the long boiling pot afforded us a good time.
And by the time the food arrived and was ceremoniously dumped on the newspaper-lined table, we were excited but not that hungry. But we charged on and dug in. See pics below.
I Will Always Have Food Today 
